


Wherever you go, I'll follow

by armistyx



Series: Misadventures of Hyrule [5]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, M/M, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25255747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/armistyx/pseuds/armistyx
Summary: He was never the greatest at goodbyes.
Relationships: Link/Volga (Legend of Zelda)
Series: Misadventures of Hyrule [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1797214
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	Wherever you go, I'll follow

“I have to go.”

“Go where?” 

Link had surprised the dragon in the dwellings of his lair deep within the Eldin Caves. He was in the middle of gathering the Dinolfos chieftains together for something he couldn’t remember now that Link was here, looking disheveled and frantic and out of breath. He must have sprinted his way up the mountain. A sense of unease settled in Volga’s stomach at the thought of something causing the Hylian to act in this way. Link was good at hiding any sense of fear he might have had on the battlefield, but this time was different.

“I—“ Link began, but cut himself off to take a much needed deep breath, “I can’t stay here. They’ll know I’m here!”

“Who?” Volga asked, trying desperately to quash the worry in his voice.

“The Hyrulean army!”

Volga paused and tilted his head. Surely this was a joke. “The army? You mean your subordinates? Why is it suddenly unfortunate for them to know you’re here?” The dragon crossed his arms. “I guarantee you’re safer here than within your castle walls.”

“N-No,” Link protested. “I know you don’t care about human problems, but it’s going to _be_ a problem for you if they find me here!” A million thoughts were running in his mind. “I didn’t want to drag you into it, but I just—“ he sighed, trying to regain some sense of composure, “I just wanted to apologize... but I have to go now!”

“Wait a minute,” the dragon interrupted, reaching out to grab Link’s arm as he turned to leave, “you have explaining to do, boy.” Now he was annoyed with his vague responses. “I want answers. _Now.”_

Link turned to face him to untwist his arm from Volga’s grasp, but relented with the look he was given. How foolish it was to think that he could’ve disappeared without any answers. “I... It was just all a misunderstanding! It was an accident!” 

“Spit it out, Link,” he said gruffly.

The Hylian trembled in his place and swallowed thickly. “They.... They think I’ve committed treason.” He brushed his bangs out of his flushed face and fanned himself, overwhelmed with the heat of the caves and the adrenaline rushing through his veins. “I put a lot of my men and even the princess in danger, but it wasn’t supposed to happen! I _swear_ on the Triforce, it was _just_ an accident!”

Volga said nothing. Link could be blowing this out of proportion, always over exaggerating any inconvenience. Any dread that lingered in his heart was washed away with relief. He snorted and released the boy’s arm. “You nearly had me frightened for a second.” Volga chucked dryly and seated himself on a boulder nearby. “I knew it would happen that someday you would _finally_ stick up for yourself. I’m proud of you.”

“Volga...” Link frowned, “This isn’t a joke! I’m in _serious_ trouble! They’ll kill me if they find me!” He crossed his own arms, face riddled with anguish. “Just because you commit war crimes daily doesn’t mean this is funny by any means.”

“What you might consider a crime is what I consider means of survival,” he retorted. “Nothing is a crime unless your system of justice deems it so. I’m going to assume that the Sheikah is the one who put out the order for your head, yeah?” Link stiffened, and nodded after a long pause. “If what you said is true — I personally don’t care if it is — then an accident is just an accident. Unfortunate, but all the same.”

“It’s more complicated than that, Volga.”

“I don’t doubt it.” Volga leaned forward and uncrossed his arms, pressing his elbows on his legs. “Perhaps we should look at it realistically: if they consider you — their prideful hero, _savior_ of Hyrule — guilty of committing treason against the throne and are out for your blood, were you ever the hero they _truly_ needed?” When silence stretched between them for a second too long, the dragon sighed. “The disrespect the army must have to turn against their own hero is nothing more than a disgrace.”

Link's expression fell downcast. Volga was always blunt and honest when he needed to hear it — sometimes he was _too_ good at it. The promise of never being able to return to Hyrule took a toll on his heart. Maybe he was right; if they could easily shun him out over a misunderstanding, they could kill him and the kingdom could easily find themselves a new champion. 

His thoughts drew blank as Volga closed the space between them, pulling the Hylian in an overprotective embrace. The sharp ends of his armor bruised his cheek, but Link paid it no mind to instead wrap his own smaller arms around his midsection, focusing on Volga's clawed gauntlet slowly carding through his slick hair. He sighed into the touch, melting into him.

"I'm sorry to have said it in a crude way," Volga murmured, "but a spade is a spade. You've spent all your time dedicated to those who would not and _could_ not do the same for you. They're undeserving of any more of your precious time," he trailed off, pulling back a little to meet Link's eyes. He pressed a delicate kiss to the middle of his forehead, "and of your magnificence." The Hylian opened his mouth to protest, but words died on his lips as Volga claimed them in another sweet kiss. "I'm aware that you hate being praised and put on a pedestal, but I speak nothing but the truth. In any case, you needn't go far. You can stay here."

"I appreciate it," Link started, though his brows furrowed together in worry, "but I can't jeopardize your safety. I don't want you involved in another war that involves me being me." His heart pleaded him to stay in the safety of the one warrior that did believe him, but he knew it would end in bloodshed. "I can't stay here. They already know I've come straight here. I really _really_ have to go."

"Then so be it." The dragon pulled himself away from Link's hold, much to his distress. Volga moved languidly to meet with the Dinolfos that seemed to arrive as if on cue a short distance away and spoke with them. Link couldn't hear what he was saying to them, but given the looks on their faces, they looked confused. He knew the reptiles that lived in the Eldin Caves held an undying loyalty to their leader as they suddenly straightened themselves up and scurried away out to the other exit of the caves. Volga turned back to face Link, now with his spear in hand.

"So, _pray tell,_ where do you plan to go?"

“I haven’t planned that far ahead yet,” the Hylian admitted, shuffling in this spot. “I just wanted to say goodbye since I wasn’t sure if—“

“Nonsense.” Volga planted the blunter end of his spear into the ground to cut him off. “There’s no need for goodbyes. I’m coming with you.”

“What?!” Taken aback by the response, Link felt his face flush — something not due to the heat. "You can't leave the caves! Your people need you!"

"I've left once before," he frowned, recalling a time where he wasn't the one in control, memories blurred by the edges of a dark magic he'd rather not fall prey to again. "And the caves still held on. However, I _choose_ to leave this time. My kin can and will uphold the mountain until we return, should it come to that."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You don't have to."

Volga brushed past him in a show to prove his point and gestured for the boy to follow him. Link idly stood still, watching the dragon disappear from sight. He felt guilty for dragging him into another human war starting to brew, but also delighted at the thought of traveling alongside someone he loved, starting their lives anew. 

With that thought in mind, Link ran to the entrance of the caves with a bounce in his step. He paused at the mouth of the cave next to Volga, squinting to get a better look of the setting horizon. In the distance, from what he could make out, a small battalion clad in Hyrulean garb were making their way to the base of the mountain. Panic struck through him for only a moment, only relieved by the weight of Volga's clawed hand on his shoulder. Link inclined his head to meet his gaze.

"Wherever you go, I will follow."

**Author's Note:**

> "volga i..... did a bad thing, and it may or may not be considered treason, i need to go"  
> "oh, worm?"
> 
> shoutout to my ex for the bonnie & clyde inspiration and liz for feeding me into it
> 
> [join my discord!](https://discord.gg/STKAMnS)


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